And so it began to snow

Today marked the day of the very first time I experienced snow.

The first snow this year

I am not really so giddy about the idea of it but it is always nice to view something new.

Since winter has officially started, my host family accompanied me to buy my very first winter boots. Having no need for that in the Philippines, I am at a loss on how to find a good one. We went to Ozdelik, a shopping mall here in Kocaeli and did rounds to find the one for me. In less than 5 minutes I found my boots. It is not smashing but it looks sturdy and is cheap.

Afterwards, we had dinner somewhere. This feels like my first real restaurant experience in Turkey and I am happy that my host family paid the bill. They said I can always pick the tab next time. Yikes.

aji... Hot pepper na kinakain nilang parang mani

With Dilber... my host mother

My meal that I wasn't able to finish, Cok buyuk...

My host family... Guess who's lucky? :)

It has always been the case that we meet up with their very close friends Ahmet and Sevim. We meet them almost twice or thrice a week. Tonight, it was Ahmet and Sevim's turn to host in their house.

We had baked potatoes. This food is called Kumpir in Turkey. We put salt, ketchup and butter into it. I had my first Kumpir in Istanbul and there were so much stuff going on inside. I liked the simpler one of just salt and ketchup.

The traditional Turkish heater which is also used as an oven

Ahmet checking if the potatoes are ready

The girls enjoying their Kumpir

Yemek yemek yemek...

Tomorrow, my host family and Ahmet's family will get together again for a breakfast buffet at Ozdilek. Weekend is equivalent to eating. I am not complaining though.

 

1.5 degrees Celsius... the temperature on our way home

I expect to see white when I wake up tomorrow.

Filipino Meal

My new host family is super. To somehow show my appreciation, I attempted to cook a Filipino meal for them and their friends.

Last Saturday, I cooked Adobo, Pancit Canton, Lumpiang Shanghai and Turon. They ate all of them but they liked the Lumpiang Shanghai the most.

Ahmet, Baris, Dilber and Seda (The two in the middle are my host family. Yey!)

Thanks to Youtube, I was able to tide through the ordeal.

One thing I realized when I was preparing for the meal is that meat is SUPER EXPENSIVE in Turkey. One whole chicken costed me around Php330. I think in the Philippines, chicken is only half the price. Beef was also outrageous. A quarter of a kilo costed me Php300. I think you can buy almost a kilo of beef already in the Philippines with that money.

Nevertheless, I am just so happy that I was able to feed Turkish people with our food. People here are known to be picky and not so adventurous with different cuisines. They might have been too polite to eat what I cooked but I am happy to whip a meal for them again but hopefull not very soon. :)

November and Alive

My November was trying.

This was the time when I was seriously considering if I should go home or not. I was so homesick aggravated more by the fact that things are not going well in my house and my work.

The situation in my house is not attractive and my responsibilities at work is not challenging, to say the least.

Thank God November was over. I was able to find a new home, transfer to a new traineeship and met a lot of nice and new people.

If I will try to fondly remember November, it will be because:

1. I met Mila and Elvira. Mila is from Ukraine and almost the same age as mine. I think we click and I am looking forward to knowing her more. Elvira is from Kazakhstan and only stayed until the end of November.

Mila from Ukraine and Elvira from Kazakhstan

2. I was able to stay at Erkan and Elizabeth's house and experienced being taken cared of. They were just amazing.

My life savers

3. I was able to go to Eregli and meet Manay's Turkish-Filipino family together with her in-laws. It was just so fun eating and laughing with them. They reminded me of my big family at home.

I enjoyed

4. I was able to go to Bursa and eat at the original maker of Iskender or kebab.

The house of the original kebab

5. I have a super new host family.


November wasn't so bad after all.

I just need to suffer some selective amnesia.

Russia, Romania and Ukraine

October 31, 2010

I got to meet some fellow trainees for the first time.

It was a Sunday and AIESEC invited me if I can be part of the interview panel that will screen applicants for their exchange program abroad. I will evaluate the applicants' English speaking skills.

There I met Katya. She is a Russian and has been in Turkey for about 2 months. She will stay for 10 months in the country I think.

She is very warm and always ready with a smile. AIESEC guys are always swarming around her.

I also met Ahmet. He is an AIESECer but is also an applicant for the exchange program. We exchanged greetings after the event and he invited me if I want to meet the other trainees from Ukraine and Romania. They will meet up and have tea or something in a while.

Ahmet from Turkey, Simona from Romania, and Natalie from Ukraine

I was very happy for the invitation. Having been cooped up in the house of my host family during most of my stay in Turkey, I am so happy to finally speak English, meet new people, and interact with fellow individuals with the same situation as mine.

I met Natalie from Ukraine and Simona from Romania. We gossiped about people and shared our expectations from the traineeship. To say that I was very happy to meet them is an understatement.

çok mutlu

My first çiğ köfte

October 30, 2010

çiğ köfte

çiğ köfte with lettuce and bread

It was a Saturday and I was bored. I was in school trying to pass time.  I don't have many friends yet and have no exciting activities to do so I just chose to go to school and bond with the teacher working on that day.

I found myself sleeping on the couch.

Thanks to Tuba and Seda, at least something interesting happened on that day.

I got to taste my very first  çiğ köfte.

I was not sure if I liked it or not. The texture of the food is too mushy for me and the taste is quite arresting. There were a lot of spices all rolling on my tongue and I can't decide if I like it or not.

Anyway, at least I can tell myself that I tried the food but I am not too excited to have it for lunch or dinner again very soon.